Giovanni Franzoni in the Alaskan wilderness. © Instagram/giofranzi

Daring stunt: Italy's ski hero filmed in Alaska

Ski star Giovanni Franzoni has fulfilled a long-held dream – and briefly shocked his fans at the same time. In any case, he delivered some truly moving images.

April 28, 2026

From: fop

Giovanni Franzoni was the big rising star of the past ski season. After his first two World Cup victories and the silver medal in the Olympic downhill, the 25-year-old Italian had already announced his intention to fulfill a dream at the end of the winter: the "Alaska Dream," as he called it. Now the time had come.

Franzoni traveled to North America and strapped on his skis again for some freeriding. Joining him was another Olympic medalist, ski cross racer Federico Tomasoni. Both are the same age, come from Lombardy, and have known each other practically their entire sporting careers. Franzoni and Tomasoni spent the past few days in Haines, in southern Alaska, which is world-renowned for its spectacular heli-skiing slopes.

Two Olympic stars gone astray

And it was a spectacular experience for the two Italian winter sports stars. They were taken by helicopter to the Chugach Mountains, with their extremely steep slopes, which are considered relatively safe due to their proximity to the coast. From the summits, they raced daringly down the mountain on two wide skis through meters of deep powder towards the valley. The result: pure joy for the alpine star and a series of spectacular photos and videos.

Check out this post on Instagram

A post shared by Giovanni Franzoni (@giofranzi)

Franzoni captioned his Instagram post: "Don't chase the moment, live it." He probably thought something similar when he dedicated himself to his second great hobby last week. At the artificial wave pool in Sion, Switzerland, the man from Lake Garda showed off his surfing skills.

Even after the World Cup season, Franzoni apparently can't get enough of the adrenaline rush, the fast turns, and the full-body commitment. So, his fans can expect more spectacular images and a few more thrills in the coming weeks.